The China Teaching Web

If you are applying for a teaching job at a well known school or university, you may be competing against dozens of other candidates. It is important to “stand out” from the rest by creating a simple yet attractive way to display your information. It is equally important to make sure that the employer has access all of the pertinent details about yourself immediately. Here are some tips to help you with the process:

•  –Always keep in mind just who you are sending the information to. More than likely, it is someone who does not have a great command of the English language so it is important to use words and phrases that are going to be understood. The last thing you want is the recruiter or the school principal having to use a dictionary to translate your information.
• –The cover letter on the email is the most important part of your information. While you should send a resume, bosses and recruiters are going to make their first impression of you based on the cover letter. Your cover letter should summarize the relevant information contained in your resume. It should also detail why you want to teach in China. Don’t be afraid to brag a little bit if you have relevant experience but do not use phrases such as “I know I am great with kids” or “Everyone tells me I am the greatest teacher.” Read through your letter a few times and make sure that there are not major spelling errors.
• –You resume should be complete but it should not be too fancy. Remember that the schools in China will have to download it (and internet access in certain places isn’t always very fast) so don’t put fancy graphics or decorations on the resume. Click here for a sample resume.
• –You should include with the letter a copy of your current resume as well as a scans of your passport and a degree certificate (including TESOL/TEFL), and a current photo of yourself. If you don’t include these items immediately, you will have to provide them sooner or later so you might as well speed up the process.
• –My suggestion is to avoid attaching any items to your email. Attachments are often delayed or are even blocked by spam filters. The best way to send your information is to sign up for a free webhosting account and upload your documents to a webpage. You can then simply provide the links to each item in your email and avoid attachments altogether. This will also save you the hassle of having to attach documents to every letter that you send out. One free host to check out is http://www.t35.com/
• –Use an email address that is easily identifiable by the schools. Your email address should at least contain your last name and should be from a simple mail domain such as ‘@hotmail.com’ or ‘@yahoo.com’ If you are using an email address that is full or has a lot of problems, you should consider signing up for a free email account from Yahoo!, Hotmail, or Google.

After you have sent your initial email to a school, make sure to check back as soon as possible for a reply. A prompt response will show the school that you are truly interested in the job. And don’t forget that there is most likely a time difference between your location and the location of the school so most likely replies will be sent from the school in the middle of the night. Happy Job Hunting!

Click here for more information about finding a job in China.